1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and a device and method for control of image pickup. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, and a device and method for control of image pickup, in which an object can be photographed in an optimized condition to obtain an image of high quality easily without need of high skill of a user.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A digital still camera is known as an apparatus in which an object image is picked up by photoelectric conversion to record image data of the object image. Various functions are carried out in the digital still camera to pick up an image in an optimized condition.
U.S. Pat. Pub. 2005/219395 (corresponding to JP-A 2005-286940) has a construction of detecting a face of a person according to image data. When a face is detected, a frame for the face detection is indicated with a live image of the person. A portion of the image associated with the detection region is evaluated to carry out AF control (autofocus control) and AE control (auto exposure control). It is possible to photograph an image in an optimized focus and exposure even in a scene where the AF control and AE control are very difficult to utilize.
JP-A 2005-284203 discloses a digital still camera in which a focus lens is moved to pick up an image. A face is detected according to image data of respective lens positions. A face feature value of the face is also determined, for image pickup by setting the focus lens in a position where the face feature value is maximized.
JP-A 2004-135029 and 2005-045600 disclose a digital still camera in which plural image data of different focus positions are obtained by focus bracket photography. One of the image data with a highest focus evaluation value is automatically selected, and stored as a recorded image.
JP-A 2005-045601 discloses a digital still camera in which a portion of a person is extracted before image pickup. A detected state of the person is evaluated according to an evaluation method while the portion of the person is analyzed. If the detected state is found low, then the person is photographed in a consecutive manner.
In U.S. Pat. Pub. 2005/219395 (corresponding to JP-A 2005-286940) and JP-A 2005-284203, image data can be recorded in an optimized condition for an object. In JP-A 2004-135029 and 2005-045600, automatic selection among plural image data is carried out in view of good focusing, so image data of a good condition can be recorded. However, the state of an object changes always with time. To photograph an object according to intention of a user depends upon skill of the user. Furthermore, in the digital still camera of JP-A 2005-045601, there remains a problem in that no image of a good condition may be obtained according to an interval or number of times of image pickup even in the consecutive image pickup.